Yesterday morning 38 students from East Union, Creston, St. Malachy, and Mayflower joined together to get a taste of Youth Philanthropy at the "Bringing YACC Back" Philanthropy Event at the Creston Arts Center. At this event students were challenged to begin thinking about how they can use their time, talent, treasure, and testimony to make a difference in Union County. They participated in team building activities, and heard testimonies of former YACC members and adult leaders. We had a few special guests, including Suzanne Johnston, HR Manager at BUNN, who has been a champion of YACC since its start. They were given time to collaborate with students from their school and other schools to brainstorm how they can make a change in their community. Those in attendance were given the challenge to do a Random Act of Kindness in Uptown Creston. They had five minutes to spread kindness in the businesses of Uptown Creston. Some acts included: pumping gas for a customer, sweeping the floor for a business, and sharing with a business that they are doing a great job serving the community. In order to participate in this day East Union and Creston students had to go through an application process. Those selected to be a member of YACC will be notified later this month. YACC first got its start back in 1999, making an impact across the county for several years. For a few years the organization was unable to meet together, however, the community is excited to be "Bringing YACC Back" in 2023 and beyond! YACC (Youth Answering the Call of the Community) is a youth-led philanthropic organization in Union County, IA supported by the DEKKO Foundation. For more information on Youth Philanthropy groups supported by the Dekko Foundation go to https://www.dekkofoundation.org/our-initiatives/youthphilanthropy/. You can also see more pictures of the day on the YACC Facebook page http://facebook.com/YouthAnsweringtheCalloftheCommunity
